Lacing and unlacing device



l. B. MILLER.

LACING AND UNLACING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1922.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

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.4 afar.

LACINGAND UNLAC'ING nnvron. Y

ilpplication'filed name eaz. sees. in. 546,065.

To cilia/10022.62? mayconcemf:

Be it known that I, Jns'sn BLAINE. Minnie, a citizen 0t the United States, residing at Tulsa, county of Tulsa, State of Oklahoma,

have invented certain new and usei ullmprovements in Lacing and Unlacing Devices v member 2. This lever 4 is pivoted adjacent its forward end and "the extreme forward andl do hereby declare the following to be a'tull, clear, and exactdescription of'the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a device for tightening or loosening the lacing of footballs, basket balls, volley balls and other articles or devices involving the use of lacing to which the invention might be adapted.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device whereby various types of lacing can be tightened or loosened under conditions where this cannot be accomplished readily by hand.

For example, it is almost impossible to take up in the lacing of footballs, basket balls and the like by hand, after said balls have been blown up and it isalmost equally as hard to slack off the lacing under these conditions. Moreover, trying to perform these operations by hand oftentimes re- .sults in the bruising or otherwise injuring of the fingers. Furthermore, as a rule there is not suiiicient strength in the fingers to accomplish the desired results to a suiiicient degree.

The present invention provides a device whereby the various objections above noted have been overcome and the operation desired accomplished in an expeditious, simple and eiiicient manner.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which i Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 2 is an end view showing the same in operative position, and

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation with the handle portion of the device broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detail said device comprises a support consisting of a U shaped elongated base member comprising oppositely disposed parallel legs 1 and a relatively wide connecting portion 1'. whereby the device may be firmly supported in operative position. The inner part o1 the connecting portion 1 is constructed to form an intermediate.

"elevated lcross member 2, the upper middle portion oflsaid cross mem:

her 2 being provided .ivitlra. f pair of up standing ears or the like 3. Pivotally mounted between the ear s13 is alever .or the like l ezrteuding transversely of the cross end is constructed to form a lace-engaging hook 5. The opposite, and longer end of the lever is supplied with an operating handle 6 whereby the necessary-pressure is exerted in the operation or" the device. The under or bottom faces of the legs 1 andconnecting portion 1 of the base mem her are inwardly and upwardly curved as at 7, so that said device can be firmly positioned on a curved surface, such as footballs and the like, and straddle the lacing opening which is the normal operative position of said device, as clearly shown in Fl 2. y i i From the foregoing description the operation of the device is believed to be perfectly obvious. The support is placed astride of the lacing seam or opening and the hooked end 5 then engaged with the lacing, whereupon a downward pressure on the handle 6 will cause the stretching or tightening of said lacing to the desired degree, and likewisera similar operation will loosen the lacing when so desired. By reason of the relatively wide connecting portion 1. a substantial supporting surface is obtained and in the actual operation of the device will prevent to a large extent the forcing of said device into the more or less compressible article or object such as a football or the like, in eonnectionwithwhich the device is particularly. designed to be used.

.What I claim is:

1. Adevice for tightening or loosening the lacing of footballs, basket balls and the like comprising a bifurcated base .adapted to engage the surface of the ball and strad dle the lacing and the opening therefor, and a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said base portion and having a lace-engaging portion its forward end anda handle at its rear end.

2. A device for tightening or loosening the lacing of footballs,basketballs and the like, comprising a support consisting eta palr of oppositely'd sposed legs or base members, an intermediate portion connecting said base members, a lever pivotallymounted on said intermediate portion, a lace-engaging portion provided on one end of said lever and a handle portion carried by the opposite end thereof.

3. A device for tightening or loosening the lacing of footballs, basket balls and the like comprising a support'consisting of a pair of oppositely disposed legs or base members an intermediate portion connecting said base members, the bottoms of said legs and intermediate portion being upwardly and inwardly curved whereby said device can be firmly placed on a curved surface, a lever pivotally mounted on said intermediate portion transversely thereto, a lace-engaging portion provided on one end of said lever and a handle portion carried by the opposite end thereof.

4:. A device for tightening or loosening the lacing or" footballs, basket balls and the like, comprising a support consisting of a pair of parallel legs and a relatively Wide connecting portion having the bottoms thereof transversely curved upwardly and inwardly whereby said device can be firmly positioned on a curved surface, a transversely disposed elevated member formed on the inner part of said connecting portion, a pair of upstanding ears carried by said elevated member, a lever pivotally mounted between said ears transversely to the elevated member, a lace-engaging portion provided on one end of said lever and a handle portion carried by the opposite end thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JESSE BLAINE MILLER. 

